Wildflowers #16

This block might be my favorite - definitely top 5 - and not just because it’s the last one. 

Decided the finished quilt should be wall-hanging-size, so 16 blocks are better than the original project’s 20. 

Tap or click the picture to open a better quality pic with lots more detail.

Next is squaring up the blocks and deciding on fabric for sashing around the squares. Have embroidery on the sashing? Still thinking ‘yes’, although I haven’t found the right design yet. Maybe bees? Or dragonflies? Bees and dragonflies?? Discovered I have a package of printable stick-and-stitch fabric in the stash so that opens up more design possibilities. Gotta think about it on the trip to Cambria. Suggestions welcome!

Silliness

I miss the silliness of the Jackie and Donovan days. Fortunately, there’s FaceTime. Unfortunately, there’s no pics of Donovan’s excitement over his button quail, something he and his mom have been planning for months to get for D’s birthday. The one he was holding, a girl (gender is a guess at this point…), was named “Duck Duck.” Two others were Queen Quail and The King (I can’t remember the other 5 but they were funny too.) He couldn’t talk fast enough to tell us all the exciting things he’s been doing. So fun.

Screenshot pics aren’t the clearest…

Jac has called a few times recently, usually when she wants company while she eats. I’m happy for any excuse to chat. Today she’d just gotten home from school and both she and River the Dog were so excited to see each other they could hardly stand it. 

Then she gave us a tour of the bunny and chicken pens, including the escaped rooster (he’s beautiful) that she feeds regularly and is determined to capture one of these days. I’d pay good money to see that chase! 

Only a month to go until our first trip to Idaho. Can’t wait!

Air and Prayer Plants

This one wasn’t my fault. 

We walked into the hardware store for one! thing! Hubby spotted this Lemon Lime Prayer Plant (Maranta), which was not the one thing, but it was the thing that came home with us. Research says it’s tricky to keep happy so this will be interesting.

Stricta Compact Magenta

These were my fault. I remember air plants, back in the 70’s, as the thing you glued to a magnet, put on the refrigerator and never had to feed or water. I more than half believed they were fake. 

 Capitata Peach

Turns out Tillandsia (the proper name) are real, very pretty and super easy to care for. You soak them in water for 30 minutes once a week, gently shake dry and leave them upside down to air dry overnight. Mist with water occasionally and add fertilizer to their bath once a month. Easy peasy.

These are going to live on a piece of driftwood for now. I’d like to do something fancier - maybe wire wrapped rocks? - but need to research more. Aren’t they pretty??

Repotting

Look at this! The smaller money tree I cut back (here) has new growth! So exciting*. (Whooooo, I didn’t kill it!)

The newest money tree, that I bought a few weeks ago, was looking a little droopy. Growers often tie the bottom trunks together when they braid the trees and, as the plant grows, the rubber band/wire/twine starts cutting into the wood. 

Sure enough, once the soil was washed off you could see the damage. 

Cut and removed the rubber bands under the soil and the wire garbage ties around the branches, repotted it in fresh soil with a clear pot and put it back under the grow light. 

It measures 14” from top of the pot to the highest branch. Wonder how much it will grow in a month…

As long as I had everything out… the smaller anthurium had a couple of leaves that were turning brown. Research said it could be the soil, so I trimmed off the worst leaf and rinsed off the old dirt.

Turns out most of the root ball was constricted by a papery net growers use to start new plants. It’s supposed to decompose but hadn’t this time. Pulled it apart with tweezers, rinsed and untangled the roots before finishing the repot. It looks so shiny and happy.

The soil around the Pink Quill was retaining too much water, so it got a quick root rinse and some fresh chunky soil. 

Look at those little spidery roots. Guess you don’t need much root-wise if you’re growing on a tree or rock in the jungle. 

* I’ve always enjoyed having plants but it was a ‘stick them in a pot and hope they survive’ kinda thing. Most of the time they didn’t. Having access to so many how-to videos on the interwebs has been eye opening. Kinda excited to see if I can keep these not just alive but flourishing. 

Double Up #2

March’s second Birdwatchers pattern, a Cerulean Warbler, is done. There’s a slight oopsie but I decided it “adds to the character” so I’m leaving it. (Can you spot it?) Still two birds behind but April’s pattern is cut, color-coded and ready to sew. 

10.5 x 10.5”

Also finished Wildflowers #15. Only one more to go before it’s time to trim the blocks and start on the sashing. 

10.5 x 10

Very happy with the progress. 

True Confessions

Confession time - I’ve gotten hooked on Instagram reels. Up til now, I’ve ignored reels on every platform. You want my attention? Put it in writing, I’d rather read about it. But Insta’s how-to reels roped me right in. 

First it was quilts… then plants… wood furniture finishing (fascinating to watch but I don’t want to actually do it)… and now it’s… silver polishing. 

Comparison halfway thru cleaning

Over the years, hubby has brought home a collection of mostly* silver-plated items from flea markets, swap meets and such. I remember silver cleaning as very labor intensive, so wasn’t real keen on fixing them up.

Until I saw a couple of reels that made it look easy! and fun!

This was in rough shape

According to experts, the easy and fun method was more likely to damage the silver than clean it, but by then I was hooked. 

Trademark ‘Chippendale’ ‘6364’

A couple of evenings, a bit of elbow grease (ok, a lot of elbow grease) and voila! Look how pretty and shiny they are!

My favorite is this Chippendale Silent Butler, circa 1980. 

But a close second is the filigree on this tray. So pretty. Now I’m hoping he finds more silver treasure to bring home.

* I say ‘mostly’ because 2 serving spoons in his collection turned out to be sterling silver. Score!

Descanso Gardens

We met up with hubby’s sister and BIL for lunch 

(Black Cow Cafe in Montrose - so good!!)

then headed to Descanso Gardens for a walk-about.

Temps were almost perfect - 

it got a little too warm as we were leaving - 

and the flowers were gorgeous as always. 

We’d hoped to see tulips and other spring flowers, 

but they must have bloomed earlier,

so we had to make do with lilacs, camellias and irises (irisi?). 

Lilacs and iris are some of my favorites so no complaints from me.

I picked up a tiny succulent (and a kitty-shaped pot) 

that Marie says is a Tiger Kalanchoe (cal-en-co-ee). So unusual!